FOUR PEOPLE ACCUSED IN THE DEATH OF NEWBORN BABY S FACE ANOTHER SERIOUS ALLEGATION — AND IT CENTRES ON WHAT HAPPENED AFTER HER DEATH

Four people accused in connection with the death of a newborn baby girl in Sheffield are facing another serious allegation — this time concerning what prosecutors say happened after the infant died.

Andrea Skopova, 20, Peter Horvath Jr, 19, Peter Horvath Sr, 38, and Nina Horvathova, 37, are due to stand trial over the death of Baby S, whose tragic case has shocked the Sheffield community.

But the allegations against the four do not stop at murder.

They are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child and perverting the course of justice, with prosecutors alleging that steps were taken to conceal what had happened to the newborn.

BABY FOUND IN AN OUTBUILDING

Police were called to a property in Holywell Heights, in the Wincobank area of Sheffield, shortly before 6am on August 30 following concerns about the safety of an infant.

Officers discovered Baby S dead inside an outbuilding.

A postmortem examination later established that the newborn had died from stab wounds.

When the case came before the court, prosecutors revealed that the baby had suffered 33 wounds from 15 separate stabbings.

The injuries were to different parts of her body, including her face and torso.

The court also heard that the newborn was found wrapped in a towel and placed inside a blue bag in the outbuilding, where she was discovered on top of a washing machine.

The details added a disturbing new dimension to an investigation that had begun just hours after the baby’s birth.

FOUR ADULTS IN THE DOCK

Skopova, Horvath Jr, Horvath Sr and Horvathova appeared before the court facing the same core allegations.

All four are from Slovakia.

Skopova is the baby’s mother, while Horvath Jr is described as her boyfriend.

A fifth defendant, a 15-year-old girl, has separately been charged with perverting the course of justice. Because of her age, she cannot be legally identified.

Two other women, aged 26 and 37, who were initially arrested on suspicion of murder have since been released on bail.

AN EXTRAORDINARY COURTROOM SCENE

The seriousness of the case was reflected in the extraordinary security surrounding the defendants during their court appearances.

The four adults were held in custody, while the teenage defendant was also remanded in youth custody.

The proceedings have attracted intense public attention as investigators continue to establish exactly what happened to Baby S before and after her death.

Police have urged members of the public not to speculate about the circumstances of the case or share unverified information online, warning that doing so could interfere with the criminal justice process.

TRIAL SET FOR NEXT YEAR

The four adults are expected to face trial at Sheffield Crown Court in April 2027.

The case is expected to last several weeks as prosecutors and defence lawyers examine the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s death and the allegations that followed.

For investigators, one of the key questions is no longer simply how Baby S died.

The additional charges raise another question:

What happened after the newborn was killed — and why do prosecutors allege that someone tried to conceal what had happened?

Those allegations will now have to be tested in court.

All four adults are accused and have not been convicted. The prosecution will have to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.